Province heralds achievements in fall session
By Al Beeber - Lethbridge Herald on December 6, 2024.
LETHBRIDGE HERALDabeeber@lethbridgeherald.com
The Alberta Legislature is now in recess.
In a media release Thursday, the provincial government heralded its achievements in the fall session, saying it “was laser-focused on the protection and promotion of Albertans’ rights and freedoms, a theme that united all 13 pieces of legislation passed” during the session.
It kicked off with the introduction of the Alberta Bill of Rights Amendment Act which the government says “ensures Albertans’ rights and freedoms remain properly protected in an ever-changing world. This was closely followed by the Health Statutes Amendment Act, Education Amendment Act, and Fairness and Safety in Sport Act, a suite of legislation that preserves choice for minors, supports student success and well-being in schools, and protects fairness and safety for Albertan athletes in sport.”
In a statement, Cardston-Siksika MLA, Government House Leader and Minister of Sport and Tourism said “I’m incredibly proud of the progress made by our government this session. We have remained unapologetic in our fight to protect the best interests of Albertans – whether safeguarding rights and freedoms or standing up against an over-reaching federal government, the work done this session will positively benefit Albertans now and into the future.”
The government says it brought Alberta’s protection of privacy and access information “into the 21st century” by restructuring the previous Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy (FOIP) Act by splitting it into two pieces of legislation.
The government also passed the second Alberta Sovereignty within a United Canada Act motion that allows it to take action to safeguard the provincial economy from what the UCP calls “the job-killing, unconstitutional federal emissions cap, if or when it becomes law.”
Other acts passed include the All-Season Resorts Act which is aimed at incentivizing sustainable and responsible tourism development and the Early Learning and Child Care Amendment Act which is intended to increase accountability and transparency, while also addressing workforce challenges and enhancing health, safety and quality in child care.
In its own release, the Opposition NDP said premier Smith and her party did nothing to help Alberta residents in the session.
“The UCP spent the fall beginning their plan to increase auto insurance rates by 15 per cent, helping their own MLAs by giving them a higher accommodation allowance, making sex education less accessible, making schools less safe for trans kids, privatizing health care, politicizing pension investments by firing the entire AIMCo board, and continuing to pick fights with the federal government instead of getting deals for Albertans,” said the statement by Christina Gray who is the leader of the official Opposition and NDP house leader.
” Instead of offering everyday Albertans relief from skyrocketing rents, the UCP decided to give themselves a 14 per cent retroactive increase to their MLA housing allowance and inflation-proof it into the future. Instead of assuring Albertans that they would keep their hands off their hard-earned pensions, the UCP doubled down on their political interference, firing the AIMCo board to control Albertans’ $170 billion in pensions and heritage savings,” said Gray who also attacked the UCP on education and health matters.
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So what is Nenshi et als solution to all the ills they claim. Sniff sniff, more money, more cuddling up to Trudeau and Singh, Singh who holds the county hostage daily? Were you actually in the gallery Nenshi for all of the things the government did or are what you are emitting just hearsay.
I assume ur preference is Smith heading south to kiss Trump’s ass?